Bomb Squad' Supports Team

A very important part of high school sports is the support a team receives from its student body.

The Lehighton Area High School boys basketball team has been receiving student body support since 1974 when several students formed a "Bomb Squad."

Basketball Coach Jim Smith said, "This is one of the best things that could happen in a school. It makes the players feel good to know the team has the support of the students and believe me they (players) miss that cheering section at away games."

The Bomb Squad does not take anything away from the cheerleaders. Actually they are a big help.

With the cheerleading squad only allowed to go on the floor to cheer during time-outs, the squad continues cheering throughout the game.

Only recently the bomb squad did not show up at a home game. After the game, Coach Smith said, "Where was our bomb squad tonight? Not only did the players miss them but I also missed all that noise."

Greg Ebberts, the founder of the bomb squad, said, "It started out with mostly football players and wrestlers. We formed, not only to support the team, but to have a good time at games."

The first group, 1974-75, was known as "Ebberts' Army" and had between 50-75 support students.

"We would split the group up and sit on both sides of the gym. The group would really drive the visiting team players nuts - especially went they went to the foul line," Ebberts said.

About the only difference between today's bomb squad and Ebberts' Army is this group dresses up in long coats and wears old army helmets and sunglasses.

Ebberts recalled the year Lehighton won the District 11 basketball tournament. "We ran almost seven busloads of students to the game. Two students had large hats made out of cardboard with a finger pointing up that the Indians were number one."

"When they starting clapping the hands together the Lehighton fans starting clapping their hands and stomping their feet."

But there are some fans that have no use for the Bomb Squad.

During the recent basketball tournament at Lehighton some people were just waiting for the students to make the wrong move so they could be turned into the athletic director or the school board.

Ebberts said there has always been a concern about foul language coming from the group.

"But I feel the students realize if they get out of hand it does not shed a good light on the group as well as the school.

"What the cheering section is for is to lend support to the team which helps the students keep their act clean," Ebberts said.

Robert Hinkle, the group's current leader, said, "Our bomb squad is currently made up of juniors and seniors, all males, which are out to have good clean fun."

"We feel the group of students we have are not problem students and we set out to support the basketball team just like the first group did about 10 years ago."

The bomb squad does not appear at the junior varsity basketball games. Prior to the start of the varsity game the squad meets in the foyer of the high school and parades into the gym single file.

Members have their own seating section which is marked, "Bomb Squad," in large letters.

When the squad goes to away games they are usually greeted by the home team fans with plenty of boos, but at home it is all cheers.